Chapter 743: Week 9–10 Midterms (20)

With Jeong Jinmyeong choosing cooperation over competition with the Swordsmanship Club, we decided to do what we could before Mo Yongjun’s expedition group arrived.

Obviously, that means farming.

Just as we had been doing so far, we would beat down monkeys and collect items.

I also taught Jeong Jinmyeong the essence of the “hit-and-run strategy,” then we began moving in and out of the A zone together.

We charged the crystals we scraped together that way,

dumped surplus cards into [Refiner(C+)] and turned them into crystals,

then, when [Payback(A)] returned the cards, dumped even those into the refiner and turned them into crystals too.

After repeating similar nonsense several times, everyone’s specs rose sharply.

[Rank]

▷Seo Ye-in:A

▷Hong Yeonhwa:A

▷Go Hyeonwoo:A

▷Han Somi:B+→A

▷Kim Ho:B+→A

[Sub Quest: Week 9–10 Midterms](In Progress....)

▷Condition: Failure upon retiring

▷Objective 1: Party members reach A-rank(5/2 people)

▷Objective 2: Defeat competitors(29/20 people)

▷Objective 3: Seize competitors’ items(67/10 items)

▷Objective 4: Defeat field bosses(5/2)

▷Note: Rewards will be reduced if completion rate falls below the standard value.

▷Reward: Differential payout according to completion rate

Objective 1 is so far over the line that it can’t go any higher.

All five party members had reached A-rank.

If we could add more party members, we would, but in the latter half of midterms, arbitrary party adjustments were impossible.

It was to prevent loopholes like having a few people receive all the crystals, then splitting off and forming another party.

So Objective 1 was effectively finished for good.

The next biggest reward increase is Objective 4, field bosses.

Naturally, that was because it was far harder than defeating competitors or taking their items.

And we would end up challenging that one naturally when the time came.

The lower-zone bosses had already been wiped out, and the only ones left were the two in the A-rank zone.

It wouldn’t hurt to catch more competitors either.

If the reward increased even by a speck, that was still profit.

Thinking that, I glanced at [Map(A)].

After it rose to A-rank, the option to “display hostile participants’ locations” had been added.

I could see two crossed-blades-and-skull icons.

They were so close together they looked almost like one.

So they joined hands after all.

It seemed Sagong Uk and Cha Hyeonju had decided it would be hard to defeat us with only their own groups.

Considering they normally were not on good terms, the fact that they had formed an alliance said enough.

They even seem to be coming this way.

Until now, they had been roaming around almost on the opposite side of the Great Forest, but now they were gradually moving east.

The final destination for top-ranking competitors was the A-rank zone, so they must have predicted we would be there too.

And in fact, we were.

At that, I smiled.

Everything’s flowing according to plan.

I had hit each of them once and made them come looking for me later on purpose.

Making them form an alliance had also been intentional.

That way, I could pull in another big chunk of bonus rewards.

And hunts are all about driving prey.

I had also prepared a surprise gift for the two of them.

*****

After we finished maintenance and waited for a while, Mo Yongjun finally appeared, leading the Swordsmanship Club.

He looked over the people gathered on our side and smiled faintly.

“It seems we arrived last.”

“Not by that much.”

Jeong Jinmyeong answered like it was no big deal, but that expression carried the faint superiority of someone ahead of the race.

Jeong Jinmyeong was probably thinking it had been a good call to trade with me.

After all, the expedition group’s specs had risen faster largely thanks to [Refiner(C+)].

After some light updates passed back and forth, Mo Yongjun looked at me and got to the point.

“Are you people planning to challenge the boss as well?”

“Yeah. That’s why we were waiting until you got here.”

“......It must not be an ordinary strong enemy.”

Perhaps sensing something unusual, his brow furrowed.

Even excluding the Swordsmanship Club, an enormous amount of combat strength was gathered here.

The fact that we had still felt it was lacking and waited meant the field bosses were that powerful.

So I jerked my chin and brought up [Map(A)], then gave the same explanation I had given Jeong Jinmyeong.

The two crowns had a mutually beneficial relationship, and if one side fell into danger, the other could come to assist at any time.

Mo Yongjun let out a low, thoughtful hum.

“I see. Then the best judgment would be to attack both at once, so that they cannot join each other.”

“Exactly.”

“No wonder you waited for us. How do you intend to divide the personnel?”

I had already made a plan for this part.

First, I pointed to Park Nari and the Emerald Mage Tower group.

“We’ll take them.”

“You intend to strengthen your rear support. Understood.”

Our party and the Discipline Committee were more than half melee classes, while Song Cheonhye and I were all-rounders.

Seo Ye-in and Hong Yeonhwa were rear-line fighters, but most of their skills leaned toward firepower too.

Lee Seulbi was doing her best to support us in her own way, but covering the other eight people alone left something to be desired.

On the other hand, Park Nari, Gwak Jicheol, Jeong Suji, and the others specialized in support, so they were perfect for filling what we lacked.

As if agreeing, Beomi growled low.

“GRRR.”

Mo Yongjun glanced at that, then asked another question.

“What will you do about the rest?”

“No need to make it difficult. Put all of you together into one expedition group.”

“......The difference in numbers seems considerable.”

On our side, even counting everyone, we had fourteen people.

Meanwhile, if the Swordsmanship Club and White Magic Club were combined, their numbers easily exceeded twice that.

At that, Jeong Jinmyeong answered in my place.

“In terms of quality, Kim Ho’s side will have a much bigger advantage. All the A-ranks are gathered there.”

“That is also a reasonable point.”

A good number of Mo Yongjun and Jeong Jinmyeong’s expedition members had stopped at B-rank, because there was no meaning in raising them higher.

Their base is B, after all.

For people like that, even if they entered a higher [Fixed Zone], only the maximum value rose to A.

Their B-rank skills and traits did not get adjusted to A.

Even I currently had quite a few B-rank skills and traits, such as [Diamond Freeze(B)] and [Frost-White Shot], and those remained B even after I rose to A-rank.

Before that, there aren’t even many people who have an A-rank [Core] in the first place.

Generally, people reached that point around the latter half of second year or the beginning of third year.

Our year had a surprisingly high number, probably because it was unusually packed with talented monsters, but even so, it was still limited to promising prospects, Discipline Committee members, and some of the very top competitors.

Because of that, Mo Yongjun and Jeong Jinmyeong’s expedition groups had twice as many total members as we did, but if we counted only A-ranks, they had roughly half our number.

When I explained that point, Mo Yongjun jerked his chin as if he understood.

“Then it is balanced enough. Understood.”

“Now let’s decide the next thing.”

“Who will take which crown.”

I soon brought up [Map(A)] and pointed at the two crowns.

“You may have noticed, but these two are polar opposites in temperament.”

“One of them does seem unusually active.”

Jeong Jinmyeong answered with shining eyes.

Just as Jeong Jinmyeong said, one crown was busily moving all over the A zone even at this very moment.

Meanwhile, the other mostly stayed still, or only moved a little once in a while.

I added an explanation.

“The former is a lone-wolf type.”

A powerful individual entity.

The fact that it roamed around its territory without restraint meant there were no opponents there.

It either had no subordinates, or even if it did, they lacked the ability to keep up.

Jeong Jinmyeong nodded and picked up the thread.

“Then the latter must be something like a commander.”

“Right.”

The reason for its low activity was most likely that its physical abilities were inferior.

But it was still an A-rank field boss, so it must have strengths in other areas.

And considering the entire A zone was crawling with monkeys, there was a very high chance it had the ability to use or command them.

Mo Yongjun’s expression turned serious.

“The latter feels more troublesome.”

“There are two ways to deal with it. Quantity against quantity, or—”

“—breaking through with a small elite force. Which do you wish to do?”

I answered that question without even thinking for a second.

“We’ll take the commander.”

“May I hear the reason?”

“It’s a field our people are very confident in.”

Hong Yeonhwa alone had swept away countless numbers as a cannon-type mage.

The martial artists, including Go Hyeonwoo, also had several ultimate techniques that could sweep a wide area.

I added one more comment in passing.

“And hunts are all about driving prey.”

“......?”

The two of them looked puzzled, as if they could not understand exactly what that meant.

I did not bother explaining and continued.

“There’s another reason too. The lone-wolf type is better handled by a larger group.”

“Because they can wage a rotation battle.”

They could take turns facing it to wear it down or split up the burden of defending against dangerous attacks.

Compared to quantity against quantity, there was more room for technique to get involved.

Since each side had a boss they were clearly better suited to, no one raised an objection.

After finishing the division that way, we discussed the operation in greater detail for a while.

Then I opened the map again and pointed to both ends of the A zone.

“Let’s split into two groups from the start and enter separately. Here and here.”

“If the distance is far, it will become harder for the bosses to join each other.”

They would also realize relatively late that one of their own was in danger.

Mo Yongjun and Jeong Jinmyeong exchanged glances.

“If we are prepared, let us depart at once.”

“That’s what I was about to say.”

Soon, the two expedition groups exchanged formulaic words along the lines of wishing each other success and good luck, then began moving toward their destination.

After glancing at their backs, we also set out.

I should organize the cards one last time too.

At this point, most of the cards had effectively fulfilled their purpose.

That included cards like [Sacrifice] and [Payback(A)], which I had used well until now.

What mattered were only a few cards that would be used in the raid.

For example, there was [Sanctuary], which would protect an ally’s life in an emergency, and [Overreach], which let someone escape the influence of [Fixed Zone] for an extremely short time.

First, I beckoned Park Nari over and handed over one [Sanctuary].

“You’re the one with the widest field of view.”

“Yeah, since I support from the back.......”

“Hold on to this, and use it when things get dangerous.”

“Okay......!”

Park Nari clenched a fist as if asking me to trust in it.

It looked somewhat awkward, maybe because it was not something Park Nari usually did, but the determination came through clearly.

Next, I approached Seo Ye-in.

“Your role as Lucky Charm is also extremely important.”

“Even importance is first place.”

“Exactly.”

“What do I do?”

Seo Ye-in asked, tilting her head slightly.

I whispered to her, quietly and carefully, and told her what she needed to do.

As I did, I handed over one of the most important cards in this raid.

“Watch carefully, and when you think, This is it! use it.”

[Shackles(A)]

▷Lowers the target’s rank by 2 stages.

▷Duration: 1 minute 30 seconds

At that, Seo Ye-in nodded and carefully stored the card.

Then she spoke with her gray eyes sparkling.

“Strong, invincible, the strongest.”